Hinge.



' PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

w. H. FITZGERALD.

HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED 00125, 1906.

Inventory \A/Hliclm H. Fitzgerald.

Walla-o1, Ar/1g co,., WASHINGTON, n. c.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. FITZGERALD, OF NEAR WATERTOWN, NEW YORK.

HINGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application filed'October 25. 1906. Serial No. 340.439.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. FITZGER- ALD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at (near) Watertown, in the county of J efferson andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHinges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in hinges designed for use inconnection with doors, gates, and other like pivoted or svtdnging parts;and the invention relates particularly to improvements in adjustablehinges for employment on doors and gates whereby the latter may beraised or lowered within a certain range of movement withoutnecessitating the unhinging of the door or gate or the disconnecting orremoving of any of the parts comprising the hinges.

The object of the invention is to provide a hinge of the class known asseparable-butt hinges which is simple, durable, and inexpensive andwhich is adapted for use in connection with doors or gates of any sizeor weight.

A further object is to provide a hinge for hanging doors or gates whichis so constructed and arranged that when a door or gate has becomesagged or binds either at the top or bottom it may be adjusted orshifted upward or downward a sufficient distance to allow the same toopen, close, or swing freely, and the said adjustment may beaccomplished in a simple manner by the manipulation of certain parts ofthe hinge, thereby obviating the necessity of unhinging or altering thedoor or gate or of detaching or changing the position of the hinge.

The invention consists principally in providing two leaves similar inform and function to like parts of the common separablebutt hinges,which are employed for attaching the hinge to pivoted or swingingmembers, such as doors or gates, as well as to door-frames orfence-posts. Each of said leaves or parts having a series of eyes orloops formed on one edge, the eyes or loops of one leaf are arranged tointerfit with like parts of the other leaf, and the loops or eyes ofboth leaves are held in line and in o erative position by means of adetachab e pin, which passes through and engages all of said parts.

The invention further consists in providing means for setting one of theleaves in different positions with reference to the opposing leafwithout removing or withdrawing said pin, the object of this featurebeing to permit the raising or lowering of a door or gate which issupported by or hung upon my hinges without requiring the unhinging ofthe door or gate.

The invention further consists in providing a novel and simple part tocooperate with the pivot-pin for effecting the adj ustn". ent of themovable parts of the device and also in providing simple means forconcealing and protecting certain parts of the hinge.

Other features and parts of the invention will be understood from thedetail description which follows, as well as by reference to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which IFigure 1 is a perspective view showing my complete hinge. Fig. 2 is asectional View substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing themanner of connecting the opposing leaves of the hinge by means ofacommon pivot-pin, also showing the construction and disposition of theadjusting parts, also showing the location of the sleeve members carriedby the male leaf with reference to the other parts of the hinge. Fig. 3is a sectional view substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, showing themanner of applying the sleeve to one of the eyes of the male leaf. Fig.4 is a detail perspective view of the pivot-pin, showing the shoulderedenlargement on the lower end, also showing the threaded adjusting plugor stud by means of which the pin is raised or lowered and alsosupported. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the sleeve member, showing a slotin one side by means of which it is applied to the male leaf, alsoshowing in dotted lines portions of the two leaves and the in.

Similar reference-numbers are assigner to corresponding parts throughoutthe several figures.

In the drawings, 2 and 3 represent respectively, the male and femaleleaves or parts of my adjustable hinge, which may be made of anysuitable kind of metalsuch as brass, bronze, steel, or iron. In applyingmy improved hinge in service the leaf 3 is intended to be attached tothe frame of a door or to a like part and is designated as thestationary leaf or part of the hinge as distinguished from the otherleaf, which is movable. Leaf 3 is provided on one edge with a pluralityof integral pivot eyes or loops 4 and 5, the number of which may varyfrom two to three or more, according to the size or style of the hinge.The eyes 4 are preferably of the same length; but the eye" 5 should bemade slightly longer in order to suitably provide for the adjustment ofthe hinge, which will be explained below. Leaf 2 is provided with one ormore integral eyes or loops 6, which are formed substantially the sameas loops 4 but leaf 2 should have one less eye than leaf 3 in order tocarry out the objects of my improvement. Each of the eyes or loops 4, 5,and 6 are bored out lengthwise to receive a round pivot-pin 7, whichserves to connect the two leaves operatively together. Pin 7 ispreferably formed as shown in Fig. 4, the upper portion having a smallerdiameter than the shouldered part 9. The pivot-holes in eyes 4 and 6 arepreferably of the same diameter as the smaller portion of the pin. Thehole through eye 5 is first bored out the size of the enlarged part 9 ofthe pin, and then it is tapped or threaded its entire length to receivethe adjusting screw plug or stud 10. The plug or stud 10 is preferablyprovided at its lower end with a slot or groove 11, to which ascrew-driver may be applied for the purpose of screwing the plug in orout. The outer end of plug 10 may, if desired, be formed square orhexagonal to facilitate the employment of a wrench to operate the same.12 12 represent a series of perforations or holes formed in leaves 2 and3 to receive the screws 13, employed for securing the hinge to a door,gate, or other parts.

In order to provide for the adjustment of the hin e in a simple manner,I have constructed and arranged the loops or eyes of the two leaves insuch manner that the loops or eyes of one leaf only partially fill thegaps or spaces between the like parts of the other leaf. The hinges foremployment in connection with common house or oflice doors arepreferably provided with a maximum adjusting range of about one-halfinch, and in such cases the eye of one leaf will be one-half inchshorter than the spaces or gaps between the opposing eyes. For example,if the eyes 6 of leaf 2 are one-half inch in length then thecorresponding spaces between the eyes 4 and 5 of leaf 3 will be one inchin length, and the eyes and spaces of each size or style of the hingesshould be made in uniform lengths, so that the same range of adjustmentmay be maintained throughout each hinge and each set of hinges. When theleaves are pivotally joined by the insertion of pin 7, as shown, ifeither one of the leaves is held stationary the other leaf may be moved(upward or down ward, as the case may be) a distance equal to the clearspaces or gaps between the opposing eyes. When assembling the severalparts, the pivot-pin 7 is inserted from the bottom of the hinge, firstthrough loop 5 and then through the alternating loops 6 and 4 in theorder shown. The small portion of pin 7 should operatively fit the eyes4 and 6. Screw-plug 10 is then screwed into the threaded hole in loop 5,following the pin,

-will not revolve.

and its upper flat end will engage the lower rounded end of the pin andforce the latter upward. As plug 10 is screwed into loop 5, it-willrevolve on the threads and the pin will move upward; but because itsrounded end offers so little frictional resistance the pin Beforeapplying my hinges to a door or gate they should all be adjusted so thatthe loops or eyes 6 of leaf 2 will be disposed about the center of thespaces or gaps between the opposing eyes 4 and 5, as shown in Fig. 2. Toaccomplish such adjustment, plug 10 should. be screwed into loop 5 asuflicient distance to bring the shoulder 9 of the pin into engagementwith the under side of the lowermost loop 6. Then the further screwingin of the plug or stud 10 will effect the lifting of leaf 2 and carry itand the pin upward to the desired point or height. By reason of thisadjustment and setting of the hinges when a door or gate is hung thelatter may be either raised or lowered at any time thereafter by simplymanipulating the screw-plug, asdescribed. This feature becomes valuablein case a door sags or binds either at the top or bottom. When theadjusting parts are arranged as last described, leaf 2 and also theweight of the door will be supported or carried by the shoulder 9 of pin7 as long as the shoulder 9 extends above the loop 5, and screw-plug 10in turn will sustain the weight of the pin, leaf 2, and the door. Forthat reason loop 5 should be made stronger than the other loops in orderto withstand the weight and strain incident to supporting and operatinga door.

In constructing my hin e and providing the simple means for adjustingthe same, as explained, the gaps or spaces between theoppositely-disposed eyes are not entirely filled by the other eyes, andtherefore the hinge, if left in that condition, would not present afinished or pleasing appearance, and, besides, the several bearings thusexposed would be subject to injury from the accumulations of dust anddirt, which might hinder the free and perfect working of the hinge. Inorder to improve the appearance of the hinge and at the same timeinclose or conceal the said gaps or spaces and protect said parts, Ihave provided a sleeve-like guard or part 14, preferably made from atube or from sheet metal of the same kind as that used in making thehinge. The sleeve 14 is provided on one side with a slot or opening 15,which extends the entire length of the tubular part. The width of theslot 15 should corres ond with the thickness of the web of the lea 2 atthe point where the eyes 6 are joined thereto. The inner diameter of thetube or sleeve should be about the same as the outer diameter or gage ofthe eyes 6, so that when the sleeve or tube is a pplied in the mannershown in the drawings it will fit the said eyes with just enoughlooseness to allow the eyes to ICC slide therein when leaf 2 is adjustedor moved in either direction on the pin 7. The length of the sleeve orguard 14 should be the same as the distance between the eyes of leaf 3,which have been referred to as spaces" or gaps, and then byreason ofslot 15 leaf 2 may be shifted in either direction in said gaps or spaceswith the same freedom and effect, as far as the adjustment of the hingeis concerned, as if the guard 14 were not employed. At the same time,when leaf 2 is rotated on in 7 the slotted sleeve will revolve with saideaf and serve to close the gaps and prevent the admission of dust ordirt, whether the hinge is open or closed. In forming loops 6, in thefirst place, their outer diameters should be as much less than that ofthe loops 4 and 5 of leaf 3 as will compensate for the thickness of thesleeves 14.

When my hinge is made as herein described and shown and placed inposition on adoor or gate, it will present substantially the sameappearance and have the same action as the separable butts now employedfor hanging such parts. The sleeves 14 are applied to leaf 2 before thesame is pivotally joined to leaf 3, and they cannot then be removed ordisplaced until the hinge is taken apart.

16 represents a knob which is detaohably secured to the upper end of pin7 by means of threads and is provided to give a finished or anornamental effect to the top of the hinge, as well as to prevent the pinfrom dropping out when the plug 10 is removed. The knob 16 may beomitted entirely, if desired, without affecting the working of my hinge.

It is obvious that some changes or modifications of the parts of myhinge may be made without departing from the invention, and I thereforedo not restrict myself to the precise construction and arrangement ofthe same as herein described and shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In a hinge of the class described, the combination with a male and afemale leaf, of a series of equally-spaced eyes integrally formed on theinner edge of each leaf, the spaces between the eyes of each leaf beingwider than the corresponding eyes of the other leaf, a pivot-pin adaptedtobe inserted upwardly through the eyes of both of said leaves for thepurpose of joining them to gether pivotally, a shouldered part formed onthe lower end of said pin adapted to pass through a threaded hole in thelowermost eye of said hinge, but not capable of passing through any ofthe other eyes, a screw-plug fitting said threaded hole adapted whenscrewed inwardly to effectthe raising of said pin and also said maleleaf, and when screwed outwardly to permit the lowering of said pin andsaid male leaf, and means for incasing the eyes of said male leaf andalso inclosing phef spaces between the eyes of the female In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. FITZGERALD.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. LAMON, HARRY DE WALLACE.

